The ground hog saw
his shadow so spring
will arrive shortly
(or so it is said).

It's never too early
to plan for the 42nd
annual AOM Reunion.
This year, it will
be in the Tidewater
area of Virginia, a
short drive from the
former NSMWF at
Yorktown. Further
details will be
provided here, on
the web page and in
the Dashpot.

SHIPMATE PASSES AWAY

One of our
shipmates passed
away recently. I
have waited for
further details
to be made
available on his
life but no
funeral home or
newspaper
account has yet
appeared. I am
detailing what I
have been able
to put together
from various
sources.

Dennis V.
Linner, MNCM (US
Navy ret.) of
Port Ludlow,
Washington
passed away in
January, 2016.
He was born on 4
Jun 1937 and
leaves his wife,
Barbara with
whom he was
married in 1961.

Edward J.
Milanowski
(LT-LDO and
former MNCS)
passed away
some time
back but
notification
was made
only a short
time ago.

Renee the
daughter of
Edward J.
Milanowski
(LT-LDO and
former MNCS)
notified Don
DeCrona that
her father
died in
March 2015.
At 95 years
of age he
suffered
from poor
eye sight
and
dementia.
Ski joined
the Navy on
9 September
1940 and
retired 1
November
1970.

Ed's wife,
Esther
Milanowski
was born in
1923
and died in
2012. Her
extensive
bone loss
lead to the
collapse of
the spine,
and her back
situation
never
improved.
She was
confined to
her lift
chair 24
hours a day.

For several
years Ed and
Esther lived
with Renee
and her
husband at
Virginia
Beach, VA.
Esther moved
first and
then Ski, to
an Assisted
Living
facility,
where they
lived until
until their
death.

Ski and I
were very
close
friends
through the
years until
he came down
with
dementia and
was not able
to remember
that I had
even called
him. We
first met at
NAD
Hawthorne,
NV. in
1951. He was
MN1 and I
was MN3. In
1952 he was
promoted to
MNC and I to
MN2.

When we were
both
stationed at
NAD West
Loch, Oahu,
HI, my third
son Anthony
was born and
Ski
became his
godfather at
his baptism.

In so many
ways Ski was
like a big
brother to
me. I have
missed him.
[Don
DeCrona]

His
grave
and
vital
details
are
provided
at the
Find-a-Grave
web
site.

TAPS PAGE UPDATED

I was recently
reminded by John
Loonam that I
had fallen
behind in
reporting deaths
in the Mine
Force community.
While all known
deaths are
reported in this
newsletter, I
also list them
on the
TAPS page.

I have attempted
to locate and
record the
actual burial
places of those
who served in
the Mine Force.
A linked icon
beside the names
of our shipmates
will provide the
same kind of
information that
was provided for
Ed Milanowski,
above.

Eventually, I
will have the
entire page
reflect the
details on the
grave sites.
Thus far, I have
only been able
to provide the
available
information on
the web page
from surnames A
through J.

If anyone has
any questions or
detailed
information they
would like to
have placed on
these memorials,
please write me.